People are comparing how Tory MPs react differently to male and female protestors
Only one story in town today, Tory MP and government minister Mark Field’s reaction when a female Greenpeace activist interrupted the chancellor’s Mansion House dinner.
WATCH: Conservative MP Mark Field shoves a protestor against a pillar then grabs her by her neck and shoves her out of the Mansion House dinner after climate change protestors interrupted the banquet. pic.twitter.com/DFwZYxROfF
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 20, 2019
And amid the shock and outrage there were also a number of people defending his actions – she could have been a security risk, right?
Which got the Guardian’s Peter Walker comparing how Conservative MPs react when the intruder is a man – and a woman.
For those who argue Mark Field was justified in his actions as the woman could have been a threat, worth noting there were several Tory MPs at Esther McVey’s leadership launch when this – genuinely very furious – man stormed the stage. He was barely touched. pic.twitter.com/cmtmSaarnB
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) June 21, 2019
Just in case you missed the launch of Esther McVey’s so-called Tory leadership bid, see if you can spot the Conservative MPs frogmarching the protester out of the room?
BREAKING: McVey speech interrupted by extremely aggressive man shouting “you are fake news! Fake Tories” pic.twitter.com/EJmBrXJdjS
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 10, 2019
Here’s more of what Walker had to say.
Perhaps it’s trickier prospect to try and grab a burly, shouting man.
And if I can lurch into amateur psychology, Field’s face on the video does not, to me, show a man worried about a threat. It shows a man furious his dinner has been interrupted.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) June 21, 2019
A final thought: while I realise people who do feel under threat can act irrationally, if you fear someone could have a weapon, even in a bag, you’d presumably grab their arms, not their neck?
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) June 21, 2019
It wasn’t the first Conservative party event to be interrupted by a man. Remember this?
Notable how many Tories defending Mark Field on the basis that “she could have been armed” just sat there when that comedian approached May during her conference speech. And when I say “how many”, I mean: it was literally all of them. All of them just sat there.
— Marina Hyde (@MarinaHyde) June 21, 2019
Look at all those Tory MPs rushing to intervene!
Watch the moment a comedian tries to hand @Theresa_May a P45 letter during her conference speech #CPC17 pic.twitter.com/egAel2lyxs
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 4, 2017
And here’s what ITV’s Paul Brand, whose video of last night’s incident went viral, had to say about it.
I was at this particular event and it was genuinely quite worrying – the man was overtly aggressive and Esther McVey was sitting just a couple of feet away. Peter makes an interesting comparison. https://t.co/ia6zJoAdWh
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 21, 2019
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Tory MP urged to quit after grabbing a climate protestor – the internet reacts
